There's a battle going on right hereÃ¢â‚¬”between big-name contenders from broccoli to turnips. The goal: to determine which vegetable is No. 1 in nutrition, and which should take first place when you're eating your food. Of course, all veggies are winners when it comes to warding off excess weight and preventing disease; but with all the peeling and chopping you have to do to get them to the table, they're not the easiest foods around (no wonder most women fail to score five servings a day). So it's important to pick the right stuff and eat vegetables that pack the most vitamins and minerals. That's what this tourney is all about. After the champions emerge, head to the WH Recipe Pages for the fastest, best-tasting ways to serve them up. To see some of this paparazzi-worthy produce in action, check out WH's "Best Fitness Foods for Women."

Veggie Vs. Veggie The Game is on!

To form our four starting divisions, we sorted vegetables by color (red, green, yellow/orange, and white). Then we chose the top 16 based on their levels of vitamin C, the water-soluble antioxidant whose list of health benefits is longer than Shaq's inseam. (To name just a few: C boosts immunity, protects skin from sun damage, aids in healing wounds, and helps the body absorb iron.) Next, we pitted veggies against each other within their divisions to find out which ranked highest in the four nutrients women need most. For the all essential vitamins women need, see WH's "The Best Vitamins for Women."

You've heard of folic acid thanks to its success in making healthy babies. In 1998 the U.S. government mandated that folic acid be added to grains, and by 2003 birth defects had dropped by a third. But the perks of getting the RDA (400 micrograms) of this mighty B vitamin don't stop there. Folate lowers CRP and homocysteine, two blood compounds that trigger artery inflammation, says Kathy McManus, R.D., director of the department of nutrition at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Studies find that a higher CRP rate raises sudden heart attack risk, and other data link high homocysteine levels with stroke and vascular disease. Another large-scale study found that women who got the most folate had the lowest incidence of breast cancer.

Because this mineral is found primarily in good-for-you foods like veggies (not Doritos), three out of four people in the U.S. don't get the 320 milligrams they need every day, says Elizabeth Somer, R.D., the author of Age-Proof Your Body. Which is a shame, since a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that low magnesium levels elevate blood sugar levels. (When blood sugar hits a Rocky Mountain high, your pancreas pumps out more insulin, which makes your body store the sugar as fat, usually right around your middle. Then your blood sugar inevitably comes crashing down--along with your mood.) Magnesium also helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, steadies heart rhythms, and supports your immune system.

The monthly visit from Aunt Flo can leave you with an iron deficit when the mineral is lost through blood. And without enough (the RDA is 18 milligrams), your brain and muscles can't get enough oxygen, which slashes their efficiency. A recent Penn State study showed that iron deficiency slowed down female subjects completing mental tasks.

Final Round Selenium

Brussels Sprouts vs. Butternut Squash - 1.4 mcg vs. 0.7 mcg

This vital trace mineral mops up pesky free radicals and helps protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. It also generates proteins your immune system needs to stay up and running. And your thyroid can't produce certain hormones without it. (While we blame hormones for a lot of bad stuff, they also happen to run our entire system--the thyroid hormones, for example, control the metabolism of every cell in your body.) Alas, women tend to come up short of the recommended 55 micrograms a day. The fix: Eat gobs of our final-four veggies, which are as rich in selenium, iron, magnesium, and folate as pro ball players are, well, rich.

FemaleAdda, largest platform for gossips on Beauty, Fashion, Wellness, Parenting and relationship. It's a complete solution finding place for Indian Female starts from their Beauty & makeup , Hair Care, Nail care, Skin care, maintaining a sexy figure, Dressing Sense, know about Latest Trends, Designer Dresses, Parenting guidance and solutions, Sex and Intimacy stories and advices. An Open Discussion board for Question-Answer and get solutions to your any queries from expert and other FemaleAdda users.

Besides, FemaleAdda Beauticians and Ladies Tailor provide on demand home service of Beauty & Makeup and Ladies Dress Stitching in Delhi NCR, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Mumbai.

Testimonial

www.femaleadda.comÂ is the platform which I have come across just few days back. Itâ€™s the great portal which I will recommend to all the beautiful ladies to use and experience.

Neha Nayan

FemaleAdda.com is great website.
Whenever I want to book the appointment for my beauty services. Now I can book online and above that compare the rates, offers and even see the reviews and ratings given to different service provider in my geographical area by different customers.

Priyanka

Thank You FemaleAdda.com for saving my time. Booking such feminine services online has become so easy and convenient.

Alia

Wonderful website I have ever been gone through for female related services. Recently I have booked foot Massage services at FemaleAdda.com and find it best and much cheaper than the usual market rates. Love to take more services.

Sneha

This Femaleadda.com online parlour booking site saves my time. Being housewife I could not find out time for me from my daily household works. Now I can find best parlour in my neighbour, I can compare rates check all services online. Simply thankful.